Department for Education

Schools: Radicalism

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance is in place for schools on the circumstances when they should provide information to the police on domestic extremists.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not provide specific guidance to schools on circumstances where they should provide information directly to the police on domestic extremists. However, the Department has published advice on the Prevent duty, which explains what schools can do to protect children and young people from the risk of radicalisation. Under the Prevent duty, a school may make a ‘Prevent referral’ as a result of concerns about extremism and for further multi-agency support. The means by which a referral can be made is determined locally and is either via the local authority or directly to the police. Guidance on Prevent referrals is available from these agencies. More information on the Department’s guidance is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from-radicalisation-the-prevent-duty. The Home Office has also developed an online ‘Prevent referral’ package, which explains when to make referrals and what to include, featuring examples from the education sector. The Department also has a dedicated telephone helpline and email address that schools can use if they have an extremism-related concern that they are uncertain how to manage. This will include advice on whether concerns need to be shared further, including to the police. More guidance on this matter and information on the telephone helpline is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-extremism-in-schools-and-childrens-services/preventing-extremism-in-the-education-and-childrens-services-sectors.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Hong Kong: Police

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) training, (b) capacity building and (c) assistance (i) the UK Government and (ii) Scotland Yard provides to the Hong Kong Police Force.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Holding answer received on 06 August 2019



In recent years, UK law enforcement agencies have provided training and assistance to the Hong Kong Police Force in a number of areas, including illicit finance and traffic policing. UK law enforcement agencies maintain regular engagement with the Hong Kong Police Force in the course of information exchange and joint investigations of serious and organised crime – as they do with counterparts throughout the world. All cooperation with overseas partners – including those in Hong Kong – is conducted under the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) risk management system, which is used across Government to assess human rights risks.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: ​Despite continuing challenges, there is the real prospect of a credible peace process for Afghanistan. Concerted Afghan and international efforts continue, with positive signs including US-Taliban talks; the recent intra-Afghan dialogue co-convened by Germany and Qatar; and the consultative Loya Jirga in Kabul. Intra-Afghan negotiations are now needed to find a sustainable settlement which will assure the country's future peace and stability. It is crucial that the democratically elected National Unity Government plays a central role, and that peace efforts are inclusive, including women and minorities. The people of Afghanistan deserve peace after decades of conflict and insecurity. We strongly believe that a political settlement is the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability.

Afghanistan: Peace Negotiations

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) involvement of civil society in the talks between the US and the Taliban in Afghanistan and (b) rights of women in any agreement that might be reached in those talks.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Talks between the US Government and the Taliban are a positive step towards an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. Resolution of the conflict will require negotiations between Afghans, including the National Unity Government and the Taliban. We continue to make clear the importance of the involvement of civil society and of women and minorities in the process to shape Afghanistan's future.Afghanistan is a focus country in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and a priority country in our efforts to promote women's meaningful inclusion in peace processes. We encourage the Afghanistan Government to bring women into discussions on peace and to ensure the participation of Afghan women in all levels of decision-making, from the local level to the negotiation table. The UK funds programmes in support of this, including a pilot on local approaches to peace, with an emphasis on women, across four districts and two provinces. We also support the "Open Jirga" television programme which provides a platform for women's representation in politics, including on the critical issue of peace.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food Supply

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the maintenance of food suppliers in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

George Eustice: The UK’s high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal. Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with the food industry to understand the potential impacts of leaving with no deal at the end of October and support contingency planning by the industry. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group (FCELG). The FCELG membership is drawn from across the agri-food chain industry sectors from farm to fork.

Food Supply

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to undertake a public awareness campaign on the effect on food (a) supply and (b) prices of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

George Eustice: On the 31st July, the Prime Minister announced a new £138 million public awareness campaign to prepare the public for every aspect of our leaving the EU without an agreement at the end of October.